Electrolysis



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY BLUMENBERG, J R., OF YVAKEFIELD, NEW YORK.

ELEQTRHOLYSIS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 565,324, dated August4, 1896.

Application filed January 10, 1895, Serial No. 534,481. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY BLUMENBERG, J r., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at WVakefield, in the county of W'estchester and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectrolysis; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the letters of reference marked on the accompanyingdrawings, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of an apparatus, partly insection, to which I have applied my improvements and in which I carryout my process. Fig. 2 represents a partial longitudinal section of thevat. Fig. 3 represents detached a perspective view of the cover andpacking-ring of one of the electropositive compartments. Fig. 4: is aperspective view of one of the cathodes and the cathode-holders.

My invention relates to the production of an oXysalt or chlorate fromthe corresponding haloid salt orchlorid by electrolysis.

The improvements consist in the following process and apparatus forattaining the above object, the novel features of which will behereinafter pointed out and claimed.

In the drawings, A represents the vat proper.

B are a series of porous electropositive compartments or pots, of whichfour. are shown. There may be any desired number of these compartments.

0 is the electronegative compartment common to all the compartments B.

D are the covers of compartments B, and E the packing-rings which renderthe joints between the compartments and covers airtight.

F are the anodes, and G 'the cathodes. The former are fastened to theunder side of the cover D and the latter are held in the cathode-holderH.

The porous compartments or pots B are held in position by the metallicframes I, resting upon vat A, and the cathod'e' holder is supported bythe slotted metallic cross-bar J, to which the reticulated metallicenvelop H is attached.

L are a series of pipes, the inlet ends of which descend to the bottomof pots B through covers D and discharge through the covers of theadjoining pots at their bottoms.

" M are a series of pipes communicating with the tops of covers D anddischarge the liberated gas into the lower portion of the compartment N.

O and Pare nut-and-screw devices for securely fastening the frame-platesI to the vat'A. Similar devices may be applied to the cross-bars J Q isthe wire leading from the positive pole of a battery (not shown) andconnecting with all the anodes F, and R is a wire leading from thenegative pole of the battery and connecting with the cathodes G.

The saturated solution of haloid salt or chloridis introduced into theapparatus through the pipe S and is discharged through the pipe V aftertraversing the series of positive compartments. The pipes T and U areconnected with the apparatus at either end and are in turn connectedwith a tank and a pump (not shown) into a continuous circulating systemhereinafter more particularly referred to.

The anodes F are preferably made of retortcarbon, but other knownmaterial may be employed. It is a well-known fact that chlorin gas willdestroy carbon in any shape, but that retort-carbon retards itsdisintegration; but it has been heretofore found to be brittle, porous,and non-conducting, and much difficulty has been found in, makingsuitable connections with the battery. I have eliminated this in amarked degree by making a substitution product of the hydrocarbon seriesby displacin g the hydrogen contained therein by a halogen, preferablychlorin. This anode is then saturated with the same, and is coked, so asto make the anode less porous and brittle and more conducting. Thesubstances which can be used with good results in thus treating theanode are paraffin, ozocerite, or asphaltum, but others may be used, andI do not therefore wish to be confined to any one of the hydrocarbonseries which may be suitable for the purpose.

The cathodes G are preferably peroxid of manganese, though otherwell-known materials may be used. The covers D are preferably ofhard-pressed porcelain, and an elastic packingE is employed'between thecover and pot B to produce an air-tight joint. All the openings in thecovers D, through which the various pipes enter and the anode issupported, are provided with tubular rubber bushings or other suit ablepacking V to produce air-tight joints at all these points.

X is a valved pipe which connects the lower portions of the negativecompartments O and tank N for a purpose hereinafter referred to.

A saturated solution of a haloid salt or chlorid is introduced throughthe pipe S and is discharged into the bottom of the first positivecompartment B of the series. It thence flows through the series of pipesL, each of which receives the solution near the bottom of eachcompartment B, and discharges it into the bottom of the next succeedingpot or cell B, and so on throughout the series, the solution finallybeing forced out through the pipe V, leading from the last one of theseries. As soon as the battery is turned on the electric energytraverses the vat in the well-known manner, and chlorin gas is therebyliberated in each of the compartments B in their upper portions. Asthese cells are air-tight, as has been heretofore explained, thepressure of the gas forces itself from each compartment through thepipes M into the tank N, where it is discharged below the surface of theliquid therein, as shown. This chlorin gas there decomposes the basylousradicals which were previously allowed to flow into the tank N byopening the valves in the pipe X, and thereby allowing them to flow fromthe electronegative compartment 0 by gravity until they reach a relativelevel in the two compartments, indicated respectively by Y and Z, afterwhich the valves in pipe X are closed and the respective levelsmaintained through the pipes T and U in the continuous system beforereferred to by opening the valvesas required, the electrolyte beingreceived by the pipe T and discharged by the pipe U. The electrolytewhich is traversing the compartments B through the series of pipes before referred to is kept at a steady flow, equal at least tothe emptyingof each compartment every hour. This prevents polarization, clogging,and various other faultswhich nearly all-processes now have.

It should be understood that there is no connection in the piping ortanking of the aciduous and basylous radicals; that is to say, betweenthe pipes S and V and the pipes T and U. A suitable resaturating deviceis usedin connection with the piping in order to keep the electrolytesaturated. By discharging i and withdrawing the electrolyte from thebottom of each compartment or pot 13 while the pumps are forcing itthrough the various pots of the series it is kept well saturated, and ittakes away a large percentage of impurities, while its continuousmovement through the pots brings in fresh supplies of 11 aloid salt insolution to be decomposed,which in turn is taken away to be resaturatedand used over again.

The electronegative electrode H is made of reticulated metal or meshing,which will not to a large extent be acted upon by the electrolyte, andcontains a metallic oxid, preferably, as stated, black peroxid ofmanganese. The advantages of such an electrode or cathode are that Whilethe electric current is flowing through the electrolyzation-vat there isa large amount of hydrogen gas liberated,wl1ich under certain conditionsis very obnoxious and causes a large loss of the electric current, andis also a great waste of chemical energy. Therefore to eliminate this Iuse the peroxid of manganese, the oxygen contained in which combineswith the liberated hydrogen and heats the electrolyte thereby. This doesaway with the use of steam-pipes in the conversion of the 'hypochloritethat is first formed into the chlorid and chlorate, and also heats theadjoining partition of theelectrolyzation-vat, and by radiation andconduction heats the electrolyte in the tank N,.and thereby furnishesthe necessary heat for the production of the chlorate, as aboveenumerated.

I claim- 1. The process, herein described,which consists in introducingan electrolyte containing a chlorid in solution into a closed positivecompartment of an electrolyzation -vat, a separate electrolyte into anelectronegative compartment, conveying the basylous radicals from thelatter compartment tothebottom of a separate tank, and the chlorin gasfrom the electropositive compartment to the bottom of the same tank.

2. The process, herein described, which consists in introducing anelectrolyte containing a chlorid in solution into a closedpositivccompartment of an electrolyzationvat, a separate electrolyte intoan-electronegativc compartment,conveying the basylous radicals from thebottom of the latter compartment to the bottom of a separate tank, andthe chlorin gas from the top of the electropositive compartment to thebottom of the same tank.

3. The process herein described, which con sists in causing anelectrolyte containing a chlorid in solution to flow through an electropositive compartment, and a separate electrolyte throughan'electronegative compartment in an opposite direction, conveying thebasylous radicals from the latter compartment to the bottom of aseparate tank and the chlorin gas from the positive compartment to thebottom of the same tank.

4. The combination of a series of positive compartments, a negativecompartment, common to all the positive compartments, means forcirculating a separate electrolyte containing a chlorid in solutionthrough the positive compartments, and means for circulating a separateelectrolyte through the negative compartment.

5. The combination of an electrolyzationvat, having positive andnegative compartments therein, an anode, a cathode, a source ofelectrical energy, a tank in contact with said vat and located at oneside thereof, means for connecting the second tank with the positive andnegative compartments, and an electrolyte whereby heat is generated forthe purposes set forth.

6. The process of treating retort-carbon for an electrode which consistsin leading chlorin gas through a hydrocarbon, saturating theretort-carbon in the hydrocarbon so treated and finally coking theretort-carbon.

7. The combination of a vat provided with a series of electropositivecompartments, an electronegative compartment and a second tank, saidnegative compartment being common to each positive compartment, and aseries of pipes leading from the tops of each positive compartment anddischarging into the second tank. 8. The combination of a vat having anegative and a positive compartment, an inlet and a discharge pipe forthe positive compartment entering the bottom thereof, a second tank, anda pipe leading from the top of the positive compartment into the lowerportion of said tank.

9. The combination of a vat having a negative and a positivecompartment, an inlet and a discharge pipe for the positive compartmententering the bottom thereof, a'second tank, a pipe leading from the topof the positive compartment into the lower portion of said tank and apipe connecting the lower portion of the said negative compartment andsaid tank.

10. The combination of a vat having one or more eleotropositivecompartments therein and inlet and outlet pipes for the same enteringthe bottom thereof, a pipe entering the lower portion of the vat forsupplying the electrolyte thereto, and a pipe at the upper opposite partof the vat for conveying the same therefrom.

11. The process, herein described, which consists in separately leadingand discharging an electrolyte containing a chlorid in solution into andfrom the bottom of the electropositive compartment, leading the chloringas from the top of said compartment into a tank, then leading aseparate electrolyte into the bottom of the electronegative compartmentand discharging it from the top thereof, and conveying a portion also ofthe latter electrolyte into said tank.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

HENRY BLUMENBERG, JR.

Witnesses:

GRANT L. NICHOLS, THOS. W. SMITH.

